December 27, 2013 - Strength in Silence

"Frozen Fog in the Ozarks"
photo by Arthur Lau-Sed

ACIM Workbook Lesson #361

"This holy instant would I give to You. Be You in charge. For I would follow You, Certain that Your direction gives me peace."

The final five workbook lessons in A Course in Miracles stress that we are at a point where we use as few words as possible. Having just watched a documentary entitled "Thrive", I'm tempted to use lots of words and talk of things we can do to facilitate change, such as shopping locally with small businesses, supporting organic farmers, and other ways of living in a state of awareness. But instead, I'll focus on something this film stressed as what we can do in order to heal our world: be quiet. We are urged to find our core of strength through silence, which connects us to everyone. This fits right in with the admonition to use as few words as possible. If you have a chance, watch this film. It could be thought of as frightening, but I see it as a reminder that every thought and action counts. Let's join together in silence and see where it leads us!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"It is only by acknowledging the supremacy of Spirit, which annuls the claims of matter, that mortals can lay off mortality and find the indissoluble spiritual link which establishes man forever in the divine likeness, inseparable from his creator."

Science & Health Page 491:12-16

December 26, 2013 - The Time is Now

"Temple Square"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #360

"Peace be to me, the holy Son of God. Peace to my brother, who is one with me. Let all the world be blessed with peace through us."

How many times have you felt that we're on the verge of the realization of universal peace and harmony? I know I have a number of times. January 1, 2000 felt like a tipping point. Although I don't remember specific dates other than that one, I know there have been many occasions when it simply "felt like" this was it; that we would forget differences and only remember unity and the fact that we are all One. I felt this again today. Any unrest and dis-ease going on around me seemed like a cry for Love. Really, truly, I saw people reaching out for something secure in a material world full of insecurity and fear. We are all the same in the reality of Spirit. The "reign and rule of universal harmony which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen" is waiting for us to cast off fear and embrace it!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven,—the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen."

Science & Health Page 208:20-24

December 25, 2013 - What Christmas Means to Me

Marsha
photo by Michelle

ACIM Workbook Lesson #359 "God's answer is some form of peace. All pain is healed; all misery replaced with joy. All prison doors are opened. And all sin is understood as merely a mistake." 

Many people have told me they don't like Christmas. What they mean, of course, is they don't like the way Christmas is promoted by media and corporations, placing emphasis on buying unnecessary things and going into debt to do so. We all know people who are over-stressed for various reasons during this beautiful time of the year. And so the words of Mary Baker Eddy which are quoted below are what I will concentrate on today. Spending the day quietly listening, in peace and joy, today and every day is all I want. This is the gift which is ours for the claiming of it, anytime, anywhere. Happy Christmas to All!!

Mary Baker Eddy quote: "Christmas to me is the reminder of God’s great gift, — His spiritual idea, man and the universe, —a gift which so transcends mortal, material, sensual giving that the merriment, mad ambition, rivalry, and ritual of our common Christmas seem a human mockery in mimicry of the real worship in commemoration of Christ’s coming.

I love to observe Christmas in quietude, humility, benevolence, charity, letting good will towards man, eloquent silence, prayer, and praise express my conception of Truth’s appearing." Miscellany Page 262:18-30

December 24, 2013 - Desire is Prayer

"Mongolian Shaman"
Sandy Wythawai Starbird

ACIM Workbook Lesson #358 "No call to God can be unheard nor left unanswered. And of this I can be sure; His answer is the one I really want." 

Today's lesson tells us why there is no need for audible prayer, constant pleadings, repetitious affirmations, or anything else which falls under the heading of talking to God. All is known to divine Principle, God. We can't tell It anything, but we can listen. By this listening we remember who we are and become aware of our purpose. There is nothing other than the Love that is God. When we yield to this fact, wonderful things happen! This yielding consists of refraining from worry and wondering about "what-ifs". To keep this erroneous thought from taking over, hold to spiritual Truth. If you can only remember one thing that is true, that will do it. God is Love. I Am the expression of Love. That is enough!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Thoughts unspoken are not unknown to the divine Mind. Desire is prayer, and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be molded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds." 

Science & Health Page 1:1-10 

December 23, 2013 - Perfect Harmony

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #357

"Truth answers every call we make to God, Responding first with miracles, and then Returning unto us to be itself."

The Course in Miracles lessons sweetly guide us through the principles we examine daily. The Christian Science weekly lesson consists of 26 topics which rotate through twice a year. Watching these two disciplines flirt with each other and culminate in a merging which is imperceptible in its union has been an exciting adventure for me! The Truth is the Truth no matter where you find it. What I love about these two ways of thought is that there is no conflict, no space where I must set one aside for the other. They each have an elegant delivery which guides me through the the material maze to spiritual sense. May we all realize our sameness when we meet and talk. As a popular soft drink commercial has been telling us for years: "I'd like to teach the the world to sing in perfect harmony!" There is no teaching involved in this miracle; only a remembering of Truth. Namaste' ….

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Truth is affirmative, and confers harmony. All metaphysical logic is inspired by this simple rule of Truth, which governs all reality." 

Science & Health Page 418:20-22

December 22, 2013 - The Sunlight of Truth

photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #356 "Sickness is but another name for sin. Healing is but another name for God. The miracle is thus a call to Him."

When we read the above words, "Sickness is but another name for sin", the immediate response could be to think it's telling us that we're sinners and are being punished for it by sickness. We are learning that sin is defined as anything that separates us from the Love which is God.  Most of us have been taught that sickness, evil, and many other negative aspects of this existence are powers over which we have little to no control. Divine Principle, law, negates these material mesmeric thoughts. As we wake up to this truth, multitudes of things we thought to be our master turn out to be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. As we lift the veil and reveal reality, the quotations we read here today begin to be more than words. They are principles by which to live. I relish every step of this awakening!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"Christian Science brings to the body the sunlight of Truth, which invigorates and purifies. The effect of this Science is to stir the human mind to a change of base, on which it may yield to the harmony of the divine Mind." 

Science & Health Page 162:4-5, 9-11

December 21, 2013 - Peace & Joy

"Salt Lake City, Utah"
photo by Aaron Springston

ACIM Workbook Lesson #355 

"There is no end to all the peace and joy, And all the miracles that I will give, When I accept God's Word. Why not today?"

Falling off the wagon can mean many things. I no longer worry that I'll hit the bars, but I often feel I'm walking a tightrope between Love and fear. The inclement weather we've experienced in our small tourist town has had quite an economic impact on us these past few weeks. You may remember that I recently wrote about "taking a leap of faith" and changing some long-standing practices in the gallery. With the lack of business and correlating lack of funds, I began to wonder if I was doing the right thing. Then two things happened. I ran across this quote from Mary Baker Eddy which I had never seen before: "Divine principle brings need and supply together for mutual good." And with that reminder, I realized how I've trusted in this precept for the last number of years while building a business which blesses so many people in so many ways. I could write pages about how this principle has been demonstrated in the past, and also proofs I see unfolding at this very moment. I am grateful for this peaceful awakening!

Mary Baker Eddy quote:

"To divest thought of false trusts and material evidences in order that the spiritual facts of being may appear,--this is the great attainment by means of which we shall sweep away the false and give place to the true." 

Science & Health Page 423:8-12